Screensavers

Martin · Sat 27 Mar, 2004 18.44

Is there a particularly nice screensaver you use? Would you recomend it?

I'm looking for a nice new fancy one for my pc, would be interested to hear any opinions.

Pete · Sat 27 Mar, 2004 20.30

The full version of the aquarium screensaver from Plus! for Windows XP at http://www.serenescreen.com is lovely although you do have to pay for it to get the serial number.

Generally I like the simpler screensavers as more complex ones annoy me. The 3D Windows XP one at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/ ... ertoys.asp is a good one.

Chris · Sat 27 Mar, 2004 20.46

Martin wrote:Is there a particularly nice screensaver you use? Would you recomend it?

I'm looking for a nice new fancy one for my pc, would be interested to hear any opinions.

Well this is what mine is currently looks like...

Exciting, isn't it!

But seriously, I found some really good sceensavers on the internet a while ago. They need a decent graphics card and a fairly powerful processor, and as I am stuck with hardware that is 4 years old with a rather shite onboard graphics card it does not really have the desired effect!

http://www.reallyslick.com/

Cheese Head · Sat 27 Mar, 2004 21.16

I'm using a lame waterfall one or something. Living Waterfall I think, it's not free but I use the free version with ads.

The best one I've used the Cadix Cyber Sign, which was a screensaver that required me to leave my signature on my tablet to unlock it.

Martin · Sat 27 Mar, 2004 21.24

Thanks for the link Chris, had just the kind I wanted!

I've got SolarWinds on just now

DJGM · Sat 27 Mar, 2004 22.11

What exactly is the point (if there is any) of having screensavers on our computers these days?

If anything, since the vast majority of modern computer monitors and displays are only at an
extremely minimal risk of suffering from screen burn, screensavers are really just "eye candy".

Chris · Sat 27 Mar, 2004 22.33

If anything, since the vast majority of modern computer monitors and displays are only at an extremely minimal risk of suffering from screen burn, screensavers are really just "eye candy".

Really?

The screen at my local HSBC hole in the wall has severe screen burn on it with a "out of service" message in it - obviously it was broken for quite a while.

All of the screens at nearly every new till point in Argos I have been to have some kind of DOS/UNIX uploading message etched into them.

The flat (plasma?) screens in the TVC reception have the BBC DOG burnt into the top left-hand corner of them from when they had the rolling news channels had them.

Neil Jones · Sat 27 Mar, 2004 23.06

DJGM wrote:What exactly is the point (if there is any) of having screensavers on our computers these days?

If anything, since the vast majority of modern computer monitors and displays are only at an
extremely minimal risk of suffering from screen burn, screensavers are really just "eye candy".

Depends really.

I mean if one's going to be working in Microsoft Word, say, all day without minimizing or moving/resizing the window or opening new dialogues or whatever then it may well burn in without a screensaver if just left like that for hours and hours, days, weeks and months. In this case a screensaver would be beneficial

But for general use, most users generally change the active window (say, Word --> IE --> another IE window --> RealPlayer --> IE --> etc) fairly regularly so nowt really has a chance to burn in as it's not left on the screen long enough.

And anyway, some screensavers don't even do what they're supposed to, such as, well, save the screen really. Some just have static images defeating the whole point of the screensaver, really. I don't think screensavers are really needed these days but may well be for older monitors. Plus better safe than sorry, surely?

Martin · Sun 28 Mar, 2004 06.41

Neil Jones wrote:
DJGM wrote:What exactly is the point (if there is any) of having screensavers on our computers these days?

If anything, since the vast majority of modern computer monitors and displays are only at an
extremely minimal risk of suffering from screen burn, screensavers are really just "eye candy".
Depends really.

I mean if one's going to be working in Microsoft Word, say, all day without minimizing or moving/resizing the window or opening new dialogues or whatever then it may well burn in without a screensaver if just left like that for hours and hours, days, weeks and months. In this case a screensaver would be beneficial

But for general use, most users generally change the active window (say, Word --> IE --> another IE window --> RealPlayer --> IE --> etc) fairly regularly so nowt really has a chance to burn in as it's not left on the screen long enough.

So in that case there could be a risk of the Start button etching onto the screen considering its hardly ever not there unless in powerpoint or playing a game?

MarkN · Sun 28 Mar, 2004 10.05

Chris wrote:The screen at my local HSBC hole in the wall has severe screen burn on it with a "out of service" message in it - obviously it was broken for quite a while.

I would not call the VDUs used by most ATMs "modern".

Pete · Sun 28 Mar, 2004 10.22

Well I've never seen a recent computer with the Start button burned in. Taking into account that it's there all the time you'd expect it to be.

Screensavers are more often than not just there to be more interesting than the normal screen. Many modern ones have bits that stay still so it's going against their real purpose.

The TV in my room has slight screen burn actually. as the on/off button is broke it's sat on standby for at least two years in total so there is a faint red dot visible when you turn it off at the plug and the screen keeps glowing slightly for a minute or two.